


What May Be

by Azryelle



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Drabble, Drabbles, F/M, One Shot Collection, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 10:49:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7529779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azryelle/pseuds/Azryelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of drabbles/oneshots focused on KazaChi from my Yukimura Chizuru roleplay blog.<br/>Various time placements from common route to post-game and alternate verses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. “I’ll walk you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on a headcanon in a roleplay thread that explores: What if Chizuru and Chikage knew each other before the fall of the Yukimura clan, but she has forgotten. What if they were promised to each other and this promise is the reason he keeps returning for her.

Hazy summer days give way to cooler nights, the sky pricked with stars shining like glittering grains of sand as the silvery orb climbs higher into the heavens. The cool air braids soft silken breezes through Chizuru’s hair as he takes her hand, leading them through the wooded thicket and when they step into the clearing she is swimming in silvery moonlight. 

Copper hues glance at him inquisitively, there is a grin tugging the corner of his lips as he takes both of her hands and slowly guides her through the field. The ground illuminates with each footstep that rouses the sleeping blades of grass. Pulsing lights faintly glimmering in silent harmony like fallen constellations in the grass before they begin to rise, floating weightlessly around them. Small hands move to cover her mouth as she suppresses a gasp, copper eyes widened in awe at the beautiful display of dancing lights.

She lifts a hand to catch one as it floats by her, but it evades her grasp leaving her with a fistful of air instead, a tinge of disappointment prickles her looking into her empty palms. She feels his gaze upon her as he laughs lowly at her mishap and she turns to him with her lips down turned into a small pout. He is standing close by, arms folded across his chest, the moonlight against his golden head and the planes of his face give him a luminous glow. In a fluid motion he reaches toward one of the flicking lights—she is almost envious at how graceful he is— catching it and then extends his cupped hands to her. She smiles widely, placing her fingertips on his loosely clasped fingers as he slowly opens them, revealing a small chartreuse pulse of light within. She moves closer, placing her hands on his as the firefly climbs out of his hands and into hers. A smile curves her lips, watching it crawl up her fingertips, glowing faintly before opening its wings to fly away. Her gaze follows the small glowing light for a moment until it rejoins the others in a small cluster and she turns back to him only to find he is staring at her with his lips pressed in a thin line. “What’s wrong?” she asks, copper hues searching his crimson.

He doesn’t respond immediately, closing his eyes briefly—she doesn’t understand his seriousness at times. Although, he always carries himself much more mature than his years, she can’t help but notice he’s more grown up each time he visits. A little taller, a little wiser, but she knows deep down he will always remain the same, always consistent in how he treats her, in how he cares for her; for that she is thankful. She could always count on his friendship, his consistency.

A sigh spills from his lips pondering his phrasing, “Come here, Chizuru,” he extends an open hand to her, “It’s getting late. I’ll walk you home.” 

His words make her heart sink like rocks in a pond; there’s never enough hours in a day to spend with him and she forsakes his open hand, rushing to his side to encircle her slender arms around his waist, burying her face into the side of his chest. “No. I don’t want to go home yet,” she protests, sulking, her voice muffled by the smooth fabric of his summer yukata, “You’re leaving in the morning right?”

A stifled sob trips past her lips. She already knows the answer to her question. He always visits for a few days with his family then leaves. That’s how it’s always been ever since she could remember. There is a slight pressure on the top of her head as he rests his hand on it, his warmth comforting, consoling. Chizuru tilts her head up to meet his gaze, her vision blurred by fresh tears that prick and glaze her eyes with emotion. His smile is gentle and she wonders why butterflies are fluttering in her stomach. “Someday,” he swipes his thumb across her cheek, liberating a tear rolling down her face, “I’ll take you with me. I promise.”

Her heart can barely fit in her chest at his words, her mind filling with thoughts of happy days spent with him to come. “Okay—“she agrees, her lips curving into a happy smile, “–Don’t forget. I’ll wait for you to come for me.”


	2. "What are you afraid of?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is based on a headcanon in a roleplay thread that explores: What if Chizuru and Chikage knew each other before the fall of the Yukimura clan, but she has long since forgotten. Providing an alternate end to the shore scene from the Hakuouki Movie.

Chizuru never would have thought that Kazama would be the one to save her; he’s done so countless of times and she can’t understand the motivations behind it all. Each time she encounters him Chizuru has a harder time believing that it is just because she is a female demon. It’s almost uncanny how he appears at the right time, and while she can see the reluctance in his crimson hues when he allows her to return to the Shinsengumi he still allows it without question because that is what she wishes. She watches him leave, sometimes he vanishes in an instant, other times he just walks away with his head held high and she just watches as his broad back becomes smaller, receding into the distance—or until she feels a tug at her sleeve from one of the captains gesturing to her that it’s time to go.

He had taken her to Aizu in search of the Shinsengumi, making a stop to pay respects to the ruins of a village she does not recognize. “It must have been beautiful once…” she muses to herself, but there is a sudden tightness in her chest when she sees the inexplicable sorrow in his eyes as he pours an offering to the deceased, telling her this is where her childhood home once stood.

A part of her wants to remember, the beauty of her village, the faces of her family, the memories she once treasured, but a heavy fog clouds her mind—perhaps she’s afraid to remember. Afraid to face that she is the last remaining heir to a lineage she knows nothing about. She is curious how he knows intimate details about her clan, but her question dies on her lips when they are separated once more. 

Relief floods her when he comes to her aid, although to her own surprise she had expected him to come, knowing that when they parted it wasn’t the last time she would see him. There was something about him– despite the arrogance and haughtiness– something she couldn’t quite place, was it that she was becoming fond of him?

Chizuru finds it odd that he was willing to accompany her when she embarks for Ezo— why is he doing all this for her? She wants to ask, but she can’t say his company is unwelcomed.

“Soon, this boat will arrive at Nanaehama. After you may do as you like.”  
Her eyes flick up, stealing a searching glance at his stoic profile– for some reason his words resembled a final farewell. She is en route to find Hijikata, but why does the thought of parting with Kazama make her feel like air is bleeding from her lungs. She remains silent, allowing the waves and wind join in the conversation for the remainder of the journey.

When he helps her off the boat her eyes refuse to meet his gaze, quickly offering him a deep bow of gratitude for everything he has done for her—everything that he didn’t have to do for her but did anyway. She stands for a beat waiting for him to say goodbye, like waiting for a death sentence but those words never come. Instead he makes one of his usual cutting remarks asking her if she is still certain she wants leave. What choice does she have?

Before she can reason her already wavering resolve—was she so easily swayed? How was he able to have an effect on her so easily?—she turns on heel in an attempt to flee from him, from the swirling storm of emotions screaming inside, from herself. A strong hand curls around her wrist, pulling her back into his embrace and she is caught like a fish out of water. Her back is pressed against him so firmly she can feel the beats that hum within his chest. The steel of his arms wrap around her body so tenderly that it feels like they are the only thing in the world holding her together as she feels her joints loosen, her body weakening within his embrace.

**“Don’t go. You don’t need to suffer anymore.”  
**   
Suddenly she is fighting back emotions that threaten to overtake her at full force. She lifts a hand placing it on his forearm, choking back a sob and she wishes she wasn’t trembling so much.

**“What are you afraid of?”**

His simple question only further shatters her resolve, her mind quickly being plagued by the grasp on the world that she is quickly losing—who is she? Where does she truly belong? The world she’s known, the only one she remembers suddenly isn’t as tangible as his arms. He smells like courage and spring mornings and summer rain and home; that fact alone causes inexplicable tears to stream down her flushed cheeks. “Y-you don’t even know me,” her voice is a strangled whisper that she barely recognizes it as her own, “—why are you doing this to yourself?”

Chizuru feels her heart beating in her chest like a hummingbird flapping it wings, beating so rapidly she feels it might burst from within. How does he have such an effect on her, that even now all she wants is to stay frozen with his frame wrapped around hers with the sounds of the ocean lapping the shore.


End file.
